1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to postmix beverage dispensing systems and more particularly to an automated postmix beverage dispensing system for use with a remote point of sale unit and/or a local front control panel whereby beverage orders of different flavors and sizes are automatically filled and delivered to a pick-up station, with all of the various system functions being programmable depending on the needs of the user.
2. Description of Related Art
Automated systems for dispensing beverages are generally known and include, inter alia, apparatus whereby cups are automatically placed on a moving conveyor, which thereafter travel past an ice dispenser, followed by a selective beverage dispenser and finally to a beverage pick-up station.
Typical examples of such apparatus include automatic beverage dispensing systems shown and described in: U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,959, "Beverage Dispenser", H. Herman et al, Jan. 23, 1968; U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,975, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System", William S. Credle, Jr., May 27, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,337, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System With Plural Conveyors", William S. Credle, Jr. et al, Jul. 31, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,719, "Automatic Postmix Beverage Dispensing System With Flavor Indicators", Ronald L. Wiley et al, Aug. 28, 30, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,630, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System With Programmable Cup Drop", Ronald L. Wiley et al, Oct. 22, 1991.
There is, however, an ongoing need for improvements in such systems.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in automated postmix beverage dispensing systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvement in cup dispensing apparatus for delivering a cup of a predetermined selected size from a plurality of different sized supply tubes to an extractor mechanism positioned adjacent a conveyor.
It is another object of the invention to provide an automated beverage dispensing system which includes an improvement in apparatus for extracting a beverage cup of an appropriate size from a cup supply tube and then positioning the cup on a conveyor.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improvement in gripper type apparatus for extracting a beverage cup from a cup supply tube and dropping an extracted cup into a cup holder located on the conveyor.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improvement in means for automatically positioning a dropped cup in a cup holder located on the conveyor by an extractor/gripper device.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide an automated system which is designed to leave a cup holder position vacant, when desirable, for serving as a marker between beverage orders.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improvement in automated postmix beverage dispensing systems which is controlled by a programmable controller.